Conveyer section connection



Dec. 7, 1937. c. N. BEBINGER CONVEYER SECTION CONNECTION Filed Sept.'12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l CNBeh/zyer 7 [366- 1937- c. N. BEBINGERCONVEYER SECTION CONNECTION Filed Sept. 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 c/vb mgr Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES CONVEYER SECTION CONNECTIONCharles N. Bebinger, New Philadelpha, Ohio, as-

signor to La-Del Conveyor & Mfg. Co., New Philadelphia, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application September 12, 1935, Serial No. 40,293

2 Claims.

The invention relates generally to conveyers, especially undergroundbelt conveyers for use in mines; and more particularly to connectionsfor detachably connecting the sections supporting the conveyer.

The carrying part of the conveyer, may be a continuous'belt, and thesupport therefor is made up of comparatively short sections because ofthe restricted dimensions in the mine, and because of the necessity ofbeing easily handled and transported around curves therein.

Certain prior constructions for detachably connecting the sectionstogether have required the use of loose parts, such as bolts or pins,but it is a slowand tedious operation to apply such loose parts, and thedarkness of a mine makes :the operation 'difi'iculh 'and provides anincreasedtendency to lose or misplace the loose :parts;

'Otherprior constructions provide a rigid connection between thesections, or at least do not permit :suificient vertical flexibilitybetween the sections to allow them to become accommodated to the 'dipsand grades and other irregularities inthe mine floor.

It isaccordingly an object of the present invention to provide animproved connection for conveyer-supporting sections, which connectionwill' overcome the disadvantages of prior constructions.

Afurther object is toprovide an improved connection by which conveyersections may be quickly connected or disconnected without the use of anyloose parts whatsoever.

Another object is to provide an improved section'connection whichpermits connected sections 'to'swing vertically relative to each other,so that :all sections may rest on a mine floor regardless ofirregularities therein.

Another object is to provide an improved section connection which willmaintain connected sections in longitudinal alignment so as to keep theconveyer belt in a straight line.

And finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide anextremely simple and inexpensive connection construction which caneasily,

be applied to standard types-of conveyer sections. These and otherobjects are attained by the improvements comprising the presentinvention which is shown in the accompanying drawings;

and which is hereinafter described in detail and defined in the appendedclaims.

In general terms, the invention includes the provision of lateralpreferably cylindric projections at the end of one section, and invertedU- shaped slots at opposite sides of the end-of an adjoining section forfitting over and pivotally engaging said projections.

In the drawings forming part hereof Figure 1 is a fragmentary sideelevation of one type of belt conveyer, showing a preferred embodimentof my improved section connection construction;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof, as on line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the improved section connectionof Fig. 1, showing fragmentarily the ends of adjoining sectionsconnected thereby;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation similar to- Fig. 3, showing the ends ofadjoining sections in disconnected position;

Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation" of another type of belt conveyer havingsupporting sectionsof some- Fig. 11 is a fragmentary transversesectional view as on line Hl I, Fig. Q'With-distant parts removed. V

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The belt conveyer shown in Figs. 1 "and 2 prefe erably includes aplurality of identical sections In and II arranged longitudinally end toend tomake up the supporting means for the conveyer belt. I

Preferably, each section includes 'a longitudinally extending channel l2at each side thereof, and a cover plate 13 extending between and overthe channels and being secured to the upper legs thereof by means ofbolts I4 and the like. Thus, the channels l2 and cover plate l3 form aninverted trough-like section.

Preferably, the channels l2 are placed with their legs directedlaterally outward so that the webs of the channels face each other, andbars or pipes indicated at l5 extend between the channels atlongitudinal intervals and have their ends secured to the webs of thechannels as by welding, to provide means for rigidly connecting thechannels of each section together.

The roller brackets for carrying the upper run IS of the belt conveyerare preferably mounted on the cover plates I3 over the channels I2, andwhere the upper run of the belt is carried in trough-like form, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2, the roller brackets may include brackets II carryingthe belt supporting rollers I8 and I9, and brackets 20 carrying edgerollers 2| for maintaining alignment of the belt.

The improved section connection means indicated generally at 23,preferably includes depending legs 24 secured one to the end of eachchannel I2 at one end of a section for resting on the floor of a mine tosupport the section above the floor. In Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the legs24 are shown secured to one end of section I I.

Preferably, a bracket arm 25 is secured to each leg 24 below the channelI2 to which the leg is connected, for mounting the ends of a roller 26carrying the return run 2'! of the belt conveyer.

The legs 24 are preferably welded to the insides of the webs of thechannels I2, and may be braced by means of strips 28 welded or otherwiseconnected at one end to the channel and at the other end to the leg.

As shown, the legs 24 project somewhat longitudinally of the channels I2to which they are connected, and a laterally disposed pivot member 29,which may be a cylindric member such as a bar or pipe, extendstransversely of the section and preferably through the legs 24, the endportions 29 of the pipe projecting laterally beyond the webs of channelsI2 and substantially flush with the outer edges of the channel legs.

The transverse pivot member 29 is spaced longitudinally beyond the endsof the channel members I2, to whichthe legs are attached, and astrengthening rib 30 may be provided under the end portions 29, beingpreferably welded to the underside thereof and welded to or integralwith the leg 24.

The cover plate I3 is preferably extended beyond the ends of thechannels'l2 and bent downwardly as shown at 3| to cover the intermediateportion of the transverse pivot member 29, the plate being cut out ornotched at opposite sides of the end of the section as shown at 32 so asto expose the end portions 29' of the pivot member for a purpose to bedescribed. A

The adjoining end of section II) is identical with the other end ofsection II, and is provided at the ends of channels I2 with invertedU-shaped members 33 secured one to the end of each channel I2, as bywelding. The cover plate I3 is secured to the tops of the channels I2and a transverse stiffening bar 34 may be bolted on top the cover plateby bolts I4, and projects longitudinally beyond the end of the channelsI2 and the end of the cover plate I3.

Preferably, a plate 3? is secured as by welding to the legs of the endsof channels I2 and extends longitudinally beyond the channels across theouter sides of the U-shaped members 33, being preferably welded thereto.

Thus, the inverted U-shaped members 33 at the end of one section I0 maybe placed downwardly over the end portions 29' of the pivot member 29 ofan adjoining section II, the members 33 being entered in the cut-outportions 32 of the cover plate I3 of section II. The U-shaped members 33provide downwardly open U-shaped slots which may be dropped downwardlyover the pivots of the other section and journalled detachably thereonto provide means for detachably and pivotally connecting adjoiningsections.

The plates 31 provide means for abutting the outer ends of the pivotmembers so that the adjoining sections are maintained in longitudinalalignment.

The belt conveyer shown in Figs. 7 and 8, preferably includes aplurality of identical sections 40 and M, arranged longitudinally endtoend to make up the supporting means for the conveyer belt.

Preferably, each section includes a top wall 42 and side walls '43forming inverted trough sections for resting on the floor of a mine.Ribbed members 44 may be provided on the sections at longitudinalintervals to strengthen the same.

Brackets 45 may be secured to the inner side walls of the sections atlaterally opposite positions for mounting the ends of rollers 45, whichcarry the return run 41 of the belt conveyer, so that the return run ofthe conveyer and the rollers therefor are housed within the sections.

The means for carrying and enclosing the upper run of the belt conveyermay include longitudinally extending channels 48 mounted on and abovethe sections, one to each section, by means of posts 49 and the like,and the channels are adapted to be longitudinally aligned when thesections are connected together end to end. Roller bracket arms 58 maybe conveniently supported on the rib members 44 and project upwardlythrough the lower legs of channels 48, being preferably welded orotherwise secured'to the channels and carrying the ends of rollers 5|,

which carry the upper run 52 of the conveyer belt between the channelsin a substantially flat form.

As best shown in Figs. 9 and 11, the improved connection means in thisembodiment preferably includes laterally disposed pivot members at oneend of a section, which members may be in the form of cylindric membersor short lengths of pipe 53 secured in the side walls of section 4| andprojecting outwardly therefrom.

The adjoining end of section 40 is identical with the other end ofsection M, and is provided 1 with inverted U-shaped downwardly openslots 55 in its side walls adapted for fitting over and being journalledon the projections 53 of section 4I, when the end of section 453 islapped over the adjoining end of section 4|.

Preferably, a rib member 44' is located at'the slot end of each section,and the slots 55 are extended through the rib member for strengtheningthe walls of the slot.

When the slots 55 of one section are lapped over and journalled on theprojecting pivots 53, as shown in Figs. '7 and 8, to provide means fordetachably and pivotally connecting adjoining sections, the overlappingside walls 43 of the connected sections provide means for maintainingthe sections in longitudinal alignment.

When the upper run of the belt conveyer is carried flat, as shown inFig. 8, the material on the belt is kept from falling off the sides bymeans of the longitudinally extending channels 48. 7

However, since it is impractical to construct the channels so that theirends abut or overlap to a nicety, gate means are provided at adjacentends of the channels 48 for closing the gap therebetween. The gate meanspreferably includes a latch rod 58 slidably mounted ina sleeve 59 on oneend of each channel 48, the rod 58 having a gate plate 6K) securedthereon adjacent the end of the channel and the end of the rodprojecting longitudinally beyond the plate 60, as shown at 6|. The otherend of the rod may have a handle portion 62 for manually sliding thegate longitudinally of the channel. A plate 64 may be secured to thelegs of the channel 48 adjacent the sleeve 59 for guiding the gate 60 asit is moved longitudinally.

The other end of each channel is provided with a keeper sleeve 53 forreceiving the projecting end 61 of the latch rod when the gate 60 ismoved to close the gap between longitudinally adjacent channels 48.

The keeper 63 is preferably enlarged vertically to provide for theoverlap of the sections MI and 4! and for other variations, and the gatemeans provides for keeping the material on a flat belt regardless ofgaps between the longitudinal members at the sides thereof.

Obviously, the means for supporting and enclosing the upper run of aflat belt, as shown in Figs. '7 to 11, inclusive, may be used onsupporting sections constructed according to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive;and likewise, the brackets and rollers for carrying the upper run of atrough belt, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, may be mounted on supportingsections constructed as shown in Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive; withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appendedclaims.

Both embodiments of my improved section connection construction providefor detachably connecting the sections together without the use of anyloose parts, so that the sections may be quickly connected ordisconnected in the darkness of a mine with great facility and withoutoccasioning the loss of any necessary parts; all of the sections arepivotally connected so that they may swing vertically and accommodatethemselves to irregularities in a mine floor; and the sections aremaintained in longitudinal alignment 'so as to keep the conveyer beltsin a straight line.

I claim:

1. In a conveyer having longitudinally extending belt roller enclosingmembers arranged end to end, a gate sliclably mounted on the end of onelongitudinal member and'having a longitudinal projection, and a tubularmember on the adjacent end of another longitudinal member for receivingsaid projection when the gate is moved to' close the gap between thelongitudinal members.

2. In a conveyer having longitudinally extending belt roller mountingmembers arranged lend to end, a gate mounted for longitudinal movementon the end of one longitudinal member and having a longitudinallyprojecting latch bar, means for manually moving said gate beyond saidend of said member, and means on the adjacent end of anotherlongitudinal memberfor receiving said latch bar when the gate is movedto close the gap between the members.

CHARLES N. BEBINGER.

